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Nov 27

6 Ways Kindness Is Good for You

By Health & Wellness, Senior Resources

Volunteering at a food bank, mentoring a younger person, treating a friend to a cup of coffee — acts of kindness like these not only can combat isolation and make you feel connected to others but also can have a positive effect on your happiness and well-being.

That’s because doing something for someone else triggers hormones affecting our moods, our stress levels, our brains and even our lifespans. “A growing body of scientific research shows that helping others, including engaging in formal volunteering activities, is related to better health outcomes in later life,” says Jeffrey Burr, professor of gerontology at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Here are six ways that acts of kindness — large or small — can improve your physical health.

1. Makes you happier

A kind act, whether toward a group, another person or even yourself, boosts some of your hormones, the body’s chemical messengers. “Kindness can have a profound effect on the release of certain hormones,” says Marcie Hall, M.D., a senior attending physician in child and adolescent psychiatry at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center.

One of these is oxytocin. Oxytocin is responsible for warm fuzzy feelings of contentment and happiness when we hug someone we love or complete a difficult job. For this reason, it’s sometimes called the “feel-good hormone.”

Another hormone that responds positively to acts of kindness is serotonin. Serotonin, an ingredient of many antidepressants, decreases feelings of anxiety and increases happiness. Being kind also releases endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. Endorphins affect the brain like drugs do, releasing a so-called “helper’s high,” similar to the runner’s high felt after exercise. In his book The Five Side Effects of Kindness, author David R. Hamilton says kindness produces a “totally legal high.”

2. Lowers blood pressure

Oxytocin has another important function. In a domino-like effect, kindness boosts oxytocin, which releases nitric oxide, a chemical that plays a critical role in maintaining a healthy blood pressure. Nitric oxide counteracts the narrowing of arteries that accompanies aging and disease, improving blood flow through the body and lowering blood pressure. Studies show that healthy levels of nitric oxide can not only help lower chances of heart attack and stroke but also reduce dementia risk. In 2016, researchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of California, Irvine found that financial generosity toward others lowered the blood pressure of the older adults engaged in the study to almost the same degree that starting a new blood pressure medicine would do.

To read about other ways that helping others can have healthy benefits, from AARP, CLICK HERE.

Nov 17

Bayshore Hilton Head’s Management Company becomes J.D. Power’s most awarded brand in the history of its Senior Living Satisfaction Study

By News

Life Care Services ranked #1 in Independent Living, for the fifth year in a row, and added a #1 ranking for Assisted Living/Memory Care in the 2023 J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Study.

DES MOINES, Iowa. Nov. 15, 2023 — Bayshore Hilton Head’s management company, Life Care Services, An LCS Company, has been recognized as #1 in Resident Satisfaction among Independent Senior Living Communities for the fifth consecutive year and added a #1 in Customer Satisfaction among Assisted Living/Memory Care Communities. The awards make Life Care Services the most awarded Senior Living Provider in the nation. The J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Senior Living Satisfaction Study recognized Life Care Services for excellence in:

· Independent Living: Five consecutive years as #1 in customer satisfaction among independent senior living providers. Life Care Services also achieved the highest score in all six factors of resident satisfaction: dining, community building/grounds, resident apartment, price paid for services received, community staff and resident activities.

· Assisted Living/Memory Care: First place in Assisted Living and Memory Care customer satisfaction in the first year Life Care Services Assisted Living and Memory Care residents and families were surveyed. The company achieved the highest score in five of the six factors of resident satisfaction: dining, community building/grounds, price paid for services received, community staff and resident activities.

“Receiving this recognition from J.D. Power, one of the most respected consumer insights organizations in the world, demonstrates our focus on the most important part of our business: our residents and their families,” said Joel Nelson, CEO of LCS, the parent company of Life Care Services. “For five consecutive years, nearly 40,000 residents have expressed their confidence in our company and communities, I couldn’t be more thankful for our team members for their hard work and dedication.”

Life Care Services provides senior living management solutions to more than 140 communities nationwide. Those solutions include the LCS Signature Experiences that elevate hospitality and ensure quality care.

The J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Senior Living Satisfaction Study is based on responses from residents living in an independent, assisted living or memory care senior living community within the previous three years. For more information about the J.D. Power U.S. Senior Living Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/jd-power-us-senior-living-satisfaction-study-award-information.

Nov 13

15 Foods High in Omega Fatty Acids

By Health & Wellness, Senior Resources

If there’s one class of nutrients that packs a punch against unhealthy aging, it’s omega fatty acids — particularly omega-3s. This nutrition superstar can help prevent heart disease and stroke and may even lower the risk of dementia. Even though the nutrient is important to have in our diet as we age, experts say most older adults aren’t getting enough.​​

“Nine out of 10 Americans are deficient in omega-3s,” says James O’Keefe, M.D., cardiologist and medical director of the Charles and Barbara Duboc Cardio Health & Wellness Center at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. “Across the board, consuming more of these nutrients is likely to reduce the risk of premature death.”​

What are omega-3 fatty acids?​

As a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid, omega-3s are essential for every facet of wellness later in life. They deliver alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to the body, helping to reduce inflammation associated with chronic and acute illnesses.​​

One study in the American Heart Association journal Stroke shows that consuming more DHA is associated with a lower risk of stroke, a leading cause of cardiovascular death. Another study, in Current Clinical Pharmacology, found that EPA and DHA boost the body’s nerve growth factor level, a key element to preventing Alzheimer’s. Omega-3s may even help preserve our hearing, according to the Fatty Acid Research Institute.​

But the average American adult consumes only 115 milligrams of EPA and DHA a day, according to O’Keefe; by comparison, the average Japanese adult consumes 1,300 milligrams of EPA and DHA per day. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that Japan is home to just one of five global “blue zones” and has the highest life expectancy in the world: 84.3 years, according to the World Health Organization. A diet high in omega fatty acids isn’t the only reason people in Japan tend to live long and healthy lives, but experts say it is likely one of them.​

O’Keefe suggests getting at least 1,000 milligrams per day and to favor EPA and DHA, if possible. Here are a few delicious foods high in omega-3s.​

To learn more about some delicious foods that are high in omega-3s, from AARP, CLICK HERE.

Oct 30

5 High-Fat Foods That Won’t Make You Gain Weight

By Health & Wellness

A doctor explains why the right amount of healthy fats is good for you

If you’re like many of my patients, you’re probably trying to figure out how to eat healthy, manage your weight and ward off diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Good for you! An ounce of prevention and a healthy lifestyle are always the best bet. But I’d like to shed light on a topic that tends to cause some confusion, and that is the question of “healthy fats.”

My patients often want to know: What are “good” fats? What’s the difference between saturated and unsaturated fat? Which foods should I eat or not eat because they’re high in fat? Perhaps the following is the question I’m most often asked:

Does eating fat make you fat?

The answer is no. Fats play an important role in our diet, and our bodies need them to function properly. But we need to consume fats the right way. We gain weight if we consume more calories than we burn, and it doesn’t really matter where those calories come from. Having said that, we need to keep in mind that fat contains more calories per gram than any other macronutrient. That means that if your body needs 2,000 calories per day to remain at the same weight and you consume 2,000 calories of fat — say, by eating nothing but bacon — you won’t gain weight, but that doesn’t mean you’re eating healthy.

It’s important to maintain a balanced diet, especially as we age. Studies show that Americans 65 and older are not eating as well as they used to. One study, as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, found that the percentage of older people eating a poor-quality diet rose from 51 percent in 2001 to 61 percent in 2018.

We know that a diet lacking in essential nutrients can lead to chronic disease, disability or even death in older people, and fat is one of these nutrients.

What percentage of your daily diet should come from fat?

To maintain a healthy diet, adults should get 20 percent to 35 percent of their daily caloric intake from fats. Fats are a nutrient that the body needs to absorb vitamins A, D and E, which keep our bones strong and our organs and immune system working properly. But not all fats are created equal.

To learn about the different types of fats, and why we need good fats in our diet, from AARP, CLICK HERE.

Oct 16

To Get a Better Workout, Play Like a Kid

By Health & Wellness

Remember when you were a kid and you couldn’t get enough of playing kickball or tag or jumping on a trampoline with your pals? Chances are, you had to be called in for dinner or bath time, often more than once. As you got older, physical activity probably became more regimented for you, as you focused on time, distance, speed, reps or other metrics. And the fun factor probably became secondary, which is unfortunate.

Increasingly, fitness experts are recognizing the value of embracing a playful attitude toward exercising because it brings numerous mind-body benefits.

“Exercise can and should be fun—that’s how you stick with it,” says Tom Holland, an exercise physiologist in Darien, Connecticut, and author of Beat the Gym. Plus, “when it’s fun, you’re going to work out harder and longer and you’re going to enjoy it more. If you’re enjoying the workout, it lowers your perceived exertion, which helps you work harder. You can exercise with a smile on your face and actually get a better workout.”

As proof, consider this: Research has found that adults who enjoyed playing the active video game Dance Dance Revolution played it at a higher intensity and burned more calories during the activity than those who were less engaged with the activity. Another study found that when adults played an interactive video game (the PlayStation 2, Road Fury 2 game) while cycling on an ergonomic bike, they worked out harder, expended more energy, and enjoyed it more than when they did a conventional indoor-cycling session.

“Making physical activity more playful ends up meeting more of your needs than just your need for physical activity—it can bring you joy,” says Katy Bowman, a biomechanist and movement specialist in Sequim, Washington, and author of Dynamic Aging. “Play is often associated with not being aware of how much time has passed, so playful physical activity will help you get more physical activity. You’re likely to do it longer and more often.”

Indeed, research has found that getting a mood boost during exercise is associated with greater adherence to physical activity programs.

To learn how to discover your personal formula for fun and games, from AARP, CLICK HERE.

Oct 02

Trouble Sleeping? A Simple Breathing Exercise Could Help Break Insomnia’s Grip

By Health & Wellness

A health writer’s quest to find new ways to nod off and end the no-sleep cycle

My history with sleep is like a roller coaster — making arduous, steady climbs to stretches of adequate rest, then careening with compounding speed into long stretches of little more than four hours a night.

Early in my career, I actually took great pride in my belief that I didn’t require as much sleep as my colleagues. I could get more done in a day! I was ridiculously productive and ridiculously exhausted.

As a health journalist, I inevitably learned the truth about sleep. It is crucial, not just for productivity and accuracy, but also for overall health, brain function, mood and longevity. But about the time I started to seriously seek the sandman — purchasing a sleep mask, earplugs and Tylenol PM; determinedly going to bed and waking up at the same times on weekdays and weekends; regularly soaking up eight hours, which felt like water for a very, very dry sponge — I had kids.

With my firstborn, I went from eight regular hours to four — on a good night. It was a free fall that I didn’t even try to recover from until my youngest set her sights on her tweens.

By then, something had shifted. My old tricks, even trading Tylenol PM for something more potent, gave me no traction. Night after night, I tossed and turned for hours and often found myself wide awake at 3 in the morning.

I can thank the onset of menopause for this new twist, says Rachel Salas, M.D., a sleep expert and professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore: “Hormone changes can disrupt sleep.”

To read more about how this health reporter used breathing exercises to regain a positive sleep routine, from AARP, CLICK HERE.